Chapter 14 - Resolutions

Daisy smiled as Jimmy entered the servant's hall. "I'm so glad you're coming Jimmy" she remarked.

Jimmy gave a shrug. "Well, might be fun."

"Don't look so anxious!" Daisy huffed. "You're going to have a nice time, I'm sure of it!"

"...Well, come on then!" Jimmy said uneasily as he donned his cap.

They left the grounds of the Downton Estate; the long winding lane to the village an avenue of greenery. Wild flowers of every kind adorned the verge at their feet, and birdsong filled the air.

"Oh, it's so beautiful today Jimmy!" Daisy remarked, overcome with the joys of spring.

Jimmy didn't answer. He stared at the ground as he walked, his hands firmly in his pockets.

"Are you thinking about Thomas?" she asked cautiously.

Jimmy huffed. "I've got other things to think of, besides friends who decide to leave without saying good bye."

"I really miss Thomas" Daisy said. "He always brightened up the morning when he came into the kitchen for his cup of tea."

"Really?" Jimmy scoffed.

Daisy stared at him. "I know you miss him too, whatever you say. You were always together."

"I suppose so" Jimmy acknowledged, as he kicked a stone, sending it careering down the lane. "But, I wasn't thinking about Thomas."

"Ivy then?" Daisy tried.

"Not even Ivy...anyway, I'm not in the mood for guessing games."

Daisy sighed. "Well I hope you cheer up! For Mr Mason's sake, if not for mine!"

They reached Downton village and then followed the lane towards Mr Mason's farm. Daisy led them through a field that was a shortcut. Very soon they stood in Mr Mason's front drive.

Jimmy stopped in his tracks and stood with his arms folded.

"What are you waiting for?" Daisy asked.

"I'm not so sure this were a good idea" Jimmy grumbled.

Daisy shook her head. "Jimmy Kent! I never thought of you as a coward" she challenged.

"I'm no coward!" Jimmy retorted, sticking out his chest.

"Well, come on then!" she cried, grabbing his arm.

Mr Mason opened the door before either of them could knock. "Hello Daisy" he said greeting her with a kiss on her cheek. "You've brought a friend?"

"This is Jimmy."

"Hello young man" Mr Mason greeted him with a handshake. "Are you coming in?"

"Thank you" Jimmy said politely as he removed his cap.

...

"Did you have a successful meeting the other night Mr Masters?" Lady Mary asked as the family sat around the fireplace in the library.

Masters smiled politely. "Thank you" he replied rather succinctly.

Lady Mary noticed his smile diminish thereafter. She concluded that his meeting had not been a success, if indeed there had been a meeting at all.

"Is it someone local you know?" she posed.

Masters looked up flustered. "...Not Downton, Ripon" he replied eventually.

"Ah...and do we know them?" she continued.

"Mary" Lord Grantham warned her as discreet as possible.

Masters looked between the two of them, but still the question remained.

"Probably not" he answered.

"What is it that you do exactly?" Lady Edith enquired, joining in on the interrogation.

"...I ran a small business, until I went bankrupt that is."

"What sort of business?"

"That's quite enough questions for one day" Lord Grantham intervened. "I do apologize Mr Masters, for my daughters curiosity."

Masters smiled a polite half-smile.

"I'd like to ask a question" Lady Violet chipped in.

Lord Grantham winced apprehensively.

"How do you know this friend of my son, this, this Richard..."

"Haymer" Lord Grantham filled in.

"Yes. Haymer" Lady Violet continued. "Hmmm?"

"I did some business with Richard and we became good friends" Masters smiled.

"There. Are you quite satisfied mama?" Lord Grantham asked her impatiently.

"For the moment" Lady Violet countered.

"Leave poor Mr Masters alone" Lady Grantham sympathized. "Listen, it's such a lovely day. How would you care for a stroll in the garden?" she suggested.

"I'd love to!" Masters replied.

"Girls, come on. Some fresh air would do us all good. You too darling."

The family made their way out of the library in pursuit of the great outdoors but Lord Grantham paused in the doorway.

"What is it papa?" Lady Edith asked. She noticed that confused look he got on his face when he was deep in thought about something.

"...Oh...nothing...you run ahead, I'll catch you all up."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Tell your mother I won't be long."

He re-entered the library and headed briskly for his desk.

...

"So, you're in charge of all this land?" Jimmy asked as he walked with Mr Mason and Daisy up a steep hill that afforded a magnificent view around the farm.

"Aye lad, and I'm trying to persuade Daisy to come and live here too, so I can teach her to run the farm."

"You won't do it?" Jimmy chided as he turned to face her.

"I...I'm thinking about it" Daisy replied hesitantly. "It'd be a big change for me mind."

"You're mad!" Jimmy exclaimed. "I'd do it in a second!"

"Would you lad?" Mr Mason asked.

"Of course! No one telling you what to do. Others working for you."

"There's more to it than that!" Daisy retorted. "You'd find out what hard work is, if you had to run this farm."

"What does that mean?" Jimmy huffed, genuinely confused. "I work hard!"

"I'm sure she doesn't mean it, do you Daisy?" Mr Mason intervened. "Come on. I've lots more to show you."

...

Lord Grantham stood in the entrance hallway on the telephone.

"Hello Richard, this is Robert. How are you old chap?...good, good...I just wanted to let you know that we have Mr Masters here with us now...Richard, are you there?...sorry, I thought I'd lost you for a moment...yes, he is here and we're looking after him for you...what's that?...yes, he's been no trouble at all...but I did want to ask you something about him...

...

"Well, that weren't so bad, was it?" Daisy asked Jimmy as they wandered slowly back down the lane towards Downton Abbey.

"It were more interesting than I thought it would be" Jimmy acknowledged. "And Mr Mason's a smart man. He knows what he's about."

"He's the best man I know...and kindest too" Daisy replied proudly.

Jimmy looked at her thoughtfully.

"What were it like? Being married I mean?"

Daisy looked at the ground. "It were a mistake" she said slowly under her breath.

Jimmy looked at her in surprise.

"What about you Jimmy?" Daisy asked quickly, diverting the attention from herself. "Will you always stay at Downton? Or do you want to get married and have a family?"

"I'm too young to settle down yet. I want to travel the world. You hear of life in exotic lands. I want to see it firsthand, me, not just read about it in a book."

"Where would you go first?" Daisy asked intrigued.

"Paris first...then India."

Daisy smiled. "You'll get there Jimmy. I know you will."

Jimmy returned the smile appreciatively.

They approached a fork in the road.

"Uh, I'm going this way actually" Jimmy remarked as he pointed down the adjoining lane. "I might just call in on Mr Bates. He's not back at work till this evening."

"Oh, well, shall I come with you?" Daisy asked, a little confused.

"No!...I mean, I'm not going to be long. I'll see you back at the house, yes?"

"Oh, ok" Daisy replied, a hint of disappointment on her face. She turned to go.

Jimmy called after her. "Daisy...thank you. I really enjoyed today."

"Me too" Daisy smiled.

...

"Well? Where have you been?" Lady Edith asked her father as she took a seat next to him on the garden bench.

Lord Grantham smiled at her tentatively.

"I've just phoned my friend, Richard Haymer."

"And?"

"Well I distinctly remember Richard telling me that he had never done business with Mr Masters. And yet Mr Masters said that was how they had become friends."

"So what did your friend say?"

"He said he had done business with Mr Masters at some point but he had forgotten about it when he had spoken to me."

"Do you believe him?" Lady Edith questioned, reading the doubt in his eyes.

"I've no reason to disbelieve him, but it sounded to me like he was hiding something. It's very unlike him."

"So what are you thinking?"

Lord Grantham sighed. "I don't know. Maybe I'm being pedantic."

"Well I think that maybe we should keep an eye on this Mr Masters" Lady Edith warned.

...

Alfred ran up the servant's stairs to his room when he noticed the door to Thomas' room was slightly ajar. He approached slowly, a distinct rustling coming from within. As he pushed the door open he found Mr Masters frantically rummaging through Thomas' chest of drawers.

"Can I help you?" Alfred asked with a frown.

Masters spun round, shock on his face that he'd been caught. "Ah! No!...no...I...uh..lent Thomas a book and...now that he's gone, I was hoping to retrieve it."

Alfred's frown deepened, unconvinced by Masters explanation. "You could have asked one of us to find it for you."

Masters forced a smile. "I didn't want to bother anyone...I needed it quickly, you see..."

"I should tell Mr Carson really" Alfred informed him.

"No, don't do that!" Masters cried in alarm. He checked himself. "I'm sure Mr Carson has so much on his plate already. No need to add to it."

Masters swiftly made his way out of Thomas' room and past Alfred.

"Did you find the book?" Alfred asked him.

"No...but don't worry, I'll see if Lord Grantham has a copy in his library. Now, be a good fellow and clear up the mess will you?"

...

"Ah James, you're back" Mrs Hughes addressed him as he entered the servant's hall. "I have a letter for you. It came this afternoon."

Jimmy took the letter, it's scent unmistakeable.

"So did you have a nice time at Mr Mason's today?" she asked kindly.

Jimmy looked up from the letter to focus on her question. "...Uh, I did. Thank you."

Mrs Hughes smiled and left him to his thoughts.

"What's that you've got there?" a voice suddenly asked him from behind.

Jimmy turned to see Alfred staring at him.

"It's nothing. Just a letter" Jimmy replied, putting it quickly into his pocket.

"Who's it from?" Alfred quizzed.

"None of your business" Jimmy replied indignantly. "I don't ask who your letters are from."

Alfred screwed up his mouth. Jimmy often asked who his letters were from!

"You don't want to hear my news then?" Alfred countered.

"What news?" Jimmy asked, unable to resist.

Alfred stood tall and smiled triumphantly. "I've been accepted to work as a chef. In London" he said proudly.

"You're leaving? Does Mr Carson know?"

"I told him I were applying. He's very pleased for me."

Jimmy huffed. "He was always on your side" he remarked bitterly.

"What do you mean?" Alfred asked, confused.

Jimmy didn't answer. He stared at the floor, feeling hard done by.

Alfred felt a little guilty, even though it wasn't his fault that Jimmy didn't seem pleased for him. Should he tell Jimmy the rest? He plucked up courage and drew in a deep breath.

"Ivy's coming with me" he stated plainly.

"What?" Jimmy said, looking up in disbelief. What did Alfred just say? Ivy was going with him? No, he couldn't have just said that! He must have misheard him!

"We're getting engaged" Alfred continued. "Ivy will come down with me and look for a job as a cook."

Jimmy shook his head. It was all too surreal. No, this wasn't right. Alfred must have made a mistake.

"Have you even asked her Alfred?" Jimmy said irritably.

"What?" Alfred asked bemused.

"He has" Ivy answered smugly as she stepped into the corridor and took hold of Alfred's hand. "And I said yes."

Jimmy could only gaze at first one and then the other as they stood side by side looking adoringly into each others eyes.

"Aren't you going to congratulate us?" Ivy asked.

Jimmy screwed up his face. "Congratulations!" he said as sarcastically as he could. Life was so unfair! Why was everything going right for Alfred and everything going wrong for him?

Alfred smiled as if Jimmy's words had been well intentioned. Or maybe it was because Ivy had just squeezed his hand. "I think I'll miss this place" he remarked, giving Jimmy a nostalgic smile.

"Well nobody's gonna miss you!" Jimmy threw at him unkindly, before he skulked off down the corridor.

Jimmy closed the door firmly behind himself. Inside the safety of his room a feeling of intense sadness washed over him. He wiped the tears away but they just kept coming.

Of course, he hadn't really meant what he'd said to Alfred, it's just that he wasn't feeling very charitable right now. How could Ivy have accepted Alfred when she had refused him? It just didn't make sense!

He suddenly remembered the letter - he pulled the crumpled envelope out of his pocket, opened it and unfolded the letter with great care.

"Dear Jimmy.

Cousin Robert has forbidden me from seeing you again. I am truly sorry for getting you into trouble. I blame myself. If I had not asked you to the dance in the first place then none of this would have happened. But in a way I am glad that we went. I am proud of how well you danced - we came second! - and I am so very proud of how you 'fought' forme that day. I will never forget your gallantry. You are a true gentleman.

When this fuss blows over, maybe we, that is yourself, Thomas and I, can go for a walk or something. Until then, I think it best we don't give cousin Robert anymore cause for complaint. Sorry again.

Your friend,

Rose

Jimmy felt totally defeated. He threw himself recklessly onto his bed and sank his face into his pillow. The words 'When this blows over' resounded in his head. But when would it blow over? Never, that's when! Lord Grantham and Mr Carson would be forever scrutinizing his movements. He would never be allowed to spend time with Lady Rose again! He had lost both Rose and Ivy in a single day. And he didn't even have Thomas to confide in.

He suddenly felt very alone. In fact he didn't see how his life could be any worse.

...

Jimmy awoke with a thumping head and slowly opened his bleary eyes. What time was it? Was it morning? In a panic he looked over at his clock...Nine thirty and it was dark outside.

He put his head back down on his pillow as his mind started to drift back into unconsciousness. Footsteps were pacing back and forth, back and forth. Then a quick scurry of steps and then they stopped altogether...KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK...

Jimmy's eyes shot open. It wasn't a dream. It was his door!

What on earth? "Just a minute!" he shouted.

He leapt up off his bed, quickly straightened his clothes - he was still in his suit - and opened the door... Masters! Jimmy scowled. He was tired and in no mood for Masters games. He determined to close the door on him but Masters put his foot in the door, jamming it open.

"Now look here!" Jimmy warned.

Masters caught him by the arm. "You're going to tell me where Thomas has gone, right now!" he threatened.

Jimmy shook his arm loose in defiance. "Like I said, I wouldn't tell you if I knew!"

"Don't play games with me young man! You'll end up losing!"

"Get lost!" Jimmy growled.

Masters narrowed his eyes. "I know about you two, you know!" he said with a chilling calmness. "And if you don't tell me where he is, I will report you to Lord Grantham."

"Report me for what?" Jimmy scoffed.

"You know what! I know that Thomas has feelings for you! I also know that it is against the law and if it gets out then you'll both be put away. They might lock you away for years!"

"I haven't done anything!" Jimmy retorted angrily. "There's no way anyone would believe you!"

"Oh you'd be surprised! There are people who are willing to say anything, for the right price!"

"You're crazy!" Jimmy exclaimed.

"And you're going to tell me where Thomas is!"

"So that's your game!" Mr Bates remarked appearing at the top of the servant's stairs.

Masters looked around in shock.

"I knew there was something wrong about you, soon after you first came" Mr Bates continued. "I did a little digging you see and I found out quite a lot about you that I'm sure you wouldn't want, well, pretty much anyone finding out."

"You're bluffing!" Masters tried. "You don't know anything about me!"

"You don't believe me? Maybe you should ask Mr Hastings. It's his townhouse that you currently reside in. Or Mr Proctor, whom you embezzled out of £10,000. Or maybe Mr Stewart. You blackmailed him to hand over £5000 of his hard earned cash. All on the proviso that you wouldn't reveal their 'dirty laundry.'

Masters scowled. "If I go down, then I'll take Thomas with me! He did a lot of the 'dirty work' himself you realize! I can even prove he was the last one to see Mr Stewart alive. He'll get life, you know!"

"No, he won't" Mr Bates replied calmly. "You see, I found out that you blackmailed Mr Stewart's secretary, a Miss Ross I believe, to give evidence against Thomas if ever she was called on to do so. You see, she informed me that Mr Stewart suffered badly from asthma. The shock of being blackmailed, for so much money brought on a severe attack. When he called her for help she came into his office. She witnessed him die of an asthma attack right in front of her."

Masters grimaced. "Thomas was the one who blackmailed him!"

"Thomas merely collected the cheque. No doubt you were the one who contrived the blackmail. A story that I'm sure Thomas would be able to corroborate."

"He'd still go to prison for his involvement!" Masters seethed.

"He wouldn't get nearly as long as you. Especially when they find out how you took him as an innocent young man into your care; a young man turfed out from his home and who would turn to just about anyone for support. No doubt you corrupted him to your ways, and taught him your schemes. I'm even guessing you emotionally blackmailed him too. That is your style, it seems."

Masters glared at Mr Bates and Jimmy in turn.

"And then there's Richard Haymer, his Lordship's friend" Mr Bates continued. "I imagine you blackmailed him to ask his Lordship to let you stay here. I can only imagine what you've been up to. Concocting a plan to blackmail his Lordship I shouldn't wonder."

Jimmy noticed that for the first time, Masters expression was neither arrogant nor conceited.

"What will you do?" Masters asked quietly, his tone almost humble.

Mr Bates raised an eyebrow. "Nothing."

Masters looked up in surprise; then he nodded slowly, suddenly deducing Mr Bates meaning. "A mexican standoff, as it were."

"Exactly" Mr Bates remarked. "You will leave Downton this moment and never return; and I won't breathe a word of it to his Lordship, or anyone else."

Masters stared at the floor momentarily. "So, Thomas gets away scot-free again" he remarked quietly under his breath.

Then he spontaneously turned on his heels and quickly headed down the stairs and towards his room.

"Is that it? He's really going?" Jimmy asked in disbelief as they watched him leave.

"Yes, and hopefully he won't be back."

"But he's done some terrible things and he's going to get away with it!" Jimmy exclaimed anxiously. "I don't want Thomas getting into trouble of course, but, shouldn't we report him? Before he hurts anyone else?"

Mr Bates smiled wryly. "I shouldn't worry. It seems my investigating enlightened a lot of people to Mr Masters' shenanigans. He's definitely not going to get away with his past transgressions, and it should make him think twice about any future ones."

...

Jimmy stood in the hallway and watched as Masters, with suitcase in hand, skulked out through the front door and into the cold night air; Masters didn't even turn around to look as Mr Bates closed the great wooden doors, shutting him out from Downton Abbey for good.

"Good riddance" Mr Bates said to himself. He made his way across the wooden floorboards and stopped briefly in front of Jimmy.

"I just needed to see him go" Jimmy remarked.

Mr Bates nodded. "We can all sleep a little easier tonight" he replied with a smile. "I best get home."

Jimmy made his way to the servant's hall. He was certainly entitled to a celebratory cup of tea. He halted though in the doorway; a lonely figure was sat in front of the fireplace, exactly where Thomas used to sit.

"Daisy?...You still up then?"

Daisy lifted her head as Jimmy walked over to her; Jimmy could tell she had been crying.

"What is it?" he asked softly as he sat down next to her.

"Nothing" Daisy sniveled as she lifted her curled hand to dry her tears.

"Oh!" Jimmy remarked in realization. Yes, of course...Alfred!

"I'm sorry Daisy" he sympathized.

Daisy didn't reply, unable to cast her gaze away from the fire.

Jimmy huffed. "Seems like they've both ruined our day. It'll be better when the pair of them go."

"Don't say that Jimmy" Daisy said sadly.

"Why not? It's true...anyway you can do better than Alfred" Jimmy reassured her. He gave a sigh. "And I can do better than Ivy" he said, more to himself.

"You can't help who you fall in love with Jimmy" Daisy said profoundly.

Jimmy couldn't reply to that. He knew just how true that was.

"Do you...do you ever feel like your life is going nowhere?" Daisy asked morosely.

"I try not to think about it" Jimmy remarked. "Only makes me depressed."

"There's so much life out there Jimmy. And we'll be stuck here for the rest of ours."

"Not me!" Jimmy exclaimed. "I might stay another year or two. Then I'm moving on."

Daisy shook her head. "I envy you. Your determination."

"I told you, you should go work on Mr Mason's farm. It would be a good life for you."

"I have been thinking more about it recently" Daisy replied slowly. "Do you really think I should do it?"

"Yes!" Jimmy remarked. "Beats this place."

Daisy dried her tears, beginning to feel somewhat more positive. "Thank you again for coming today Jimmy. It was nice to have your company."

"It was good" Jimmy remarked. "I learnt quite a lot actually."

"So, you'd come again?" Daisy asked tentatively.

"I would...but not next saturday. There's something I have to do."

...